> by the way, outside the valley, most companies consider it a plus
Maybe that's why they will never come up with the next Apple/Google/SpaceX/etc.
Every single MBA I have met, without exception, has been extremely good at talking and making presentations. Ask them to do real work, and they will find a million excuses.
Another thing I have noticed, is the kind of people attracted to doing an MBA. They have seen all of Steve Jobs' talks/speeches, talk incessantly about Brand Building and strategy. Ask them to dial for dollars and you get radio silence.
What qualifies as "real work"? A competent decision maker/consensus reacher is, ime, more valuable than an extra engineer in any software project of a non trivial size. Not every product decision can be made based on logical merits. I don't care what someone's background is if they help maintain organizational coherency.
I have a MBA, but I'm also the lead developer (and project manager) of my project. I rather be coding instead of being in front of people and giving presentations, but I do those things to ensure my project is successful (and that it grows). And I think most of business books and ideas are recycled non-sense.
Maybe we'll meet in the future, but not all developers with MBA's are that bad...
I'm a developer who is interested in getting an MBA. One thing I've learned is that like any degree, an MBA from one school is not equal to an MBA from another.
Finding an online MBA offering that is decent quality is next to impossible or the price far exceeds what most people are willing to pay. I've tried some courses from MIT & Wharton online. Their content is great & possibly well worth the price if you are able to relocate & can afford the cost. I would imagine a few of the other top schools are worth it as well. After that, I would seriously question the value from most any other MBA.
On a side note, many people with an MBA often say the most valuable thing they received was a "network".
Wharton is an elite school for Business. Very few schools match their education in business. Had Elon went to a random state school that isn't a top 5 business school, he might not be saying that.
Maybe that's why they will never come up with the next Apple/Google/SpaceX/etc.
Every single MBA I have met, without exception, has been extremely good at talking and making presentations. Ask them to do real work, and they will find a million excuses.
Another thing I have noticed, is the kind of people attracted to doing an MBA. They have seen all of Steve Jobs' talks/speeches, talk incessantly about Brand Building and strategy. Ask them to dial for dollars and you get radio silence.